ACT UP/NY statement regarding Petrelis & Pasquarelli

Forwarded Message:
Subj  ACT UP/NY statement regarding Petrelis & Pasquarelli
Date:   1/31/02 1:05:03 AM Eastern Standard Time
From:   duchamp@mindspring.com (William K. Dobbs)
To: duchamp@mindspring.com (William K. Dobbs)

ACT UP/NY
332 Bleecker St. Suite G5
New York, NY 10014

Web: www.actupny.org
Email: actupny@panix.com

Statement regarding Michael Petrelis and David Pasquarelli

ACT UP/NY supports Michael Petrelis and David Pasquarelli in their fight
against punitive charges and high bail. They are being punished for
their outspoken actions regarding the AIDS pandemic. The punitive bail and
charges for them are not in place to prevent them from fleeing
prosecution but rather to discourage their activism.

Bail is used by the court to ensure the appearance of the defendants in
court.  It is very unlikely that the two men will flee. Who they are is
very much defined by their activism and the AIDS pandemic, and they
would never abandon that fight. Their passions are driven by the AIDS
pandemic and the attempt by the U.S. establishment to sweep the disease under the
rug.

Exceptional charges and high bail are an obvious attempt to suppress
Petrelis' and Pasquarelli's First Amendment rights and to deny them due
process.

Approved at the ACT UP/NY meeting on January 28, 2002.

ACT UP-AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power
ACT UP is a diverse, non-partisan group of individuals united in anger
and committed to direct action to end the AIDS crisis. We advise and inform.
We demonstrate. We are not silent.

ACT UP/NY is the original chapter of ACT UP, founded in March, 1987.